I understand the need for that change on Orleans. I hope that they do a reasonable job of accommodating bike traffic there when they do it.

Pat

We’ll see. It’s a zoo right now.

Fred

Its somewhat inaccurate to call the Orleans street change a contraflow lane. The street is already two-ways north of here so all they are really doing is extending its two-way-ness a block further south.

Fred

I’m not sure that it matters. Its already not-great on this block, and utter crap north of Hubbard. Worse case this just moves the utter crap start point a block further south.

Side rant:
Its horrible that the city dumps cyclists onto crap conditions on Orleans between Hubbard and Division. The Franklin bike lanes are pretty good, but fade into nothing northbound at Hubbard leaving mixed traffic with angry commuter motorists trying to get to the Ontario feeder ramp. Southbound cyclists are dumped out of the fantastic Clybourn protected lanes onto Orleans, which isn’t great, but isn’t miserable, until the street goes one-way northbound for the block between the ramps. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen panicked southbound cyclists at the Ontario/Orleans intersection who suddenly realize there’s no good place for them to go. The city should be shamed into extending the Clybourn bike lanes over to Wells. It is much better suited for southbound bike traffic.

Anne A

The only reason I’ve ever used it is to get to Hubbard, then over to Kingsbury. Crossing over to make that left turn is never fun.

Jeremy

The Franklin bike lane, though, disappears after Randolph. I don’t know if that is only temporary due to construction, but approaching Lake, things start to get dicey. The road narrows because of the train track supports. Cyclists are now pinched to the right of drivers turning right onto Lake.

Another problem with Orleans is the bike lane fluctuates. It is on the far right on the bridge over the river, then moves over to the left to allow cars to make right turns onto that eastbound street next to the Merchandise Mart (is that also considered to be Kinzie?), then moves back to the right into a narrow gutter bike lane approaching the bus stop at Kinzie.

Fred

I assume you are talking about the access road on the north side of the Mart elevated parallel to Kinzie. Do cyclists actually move left at that point? I never do nor do I recall anyone else doing it.